


Will you let me be the one?

by eisneRiegan



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Is this considered tooth-rotting fluff?, Marriage Proposal, Romance, Valentine's Day, mentions of Marianne x Hilda
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:14:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22693120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eisneRiegan/pseuds/eisneRiegan
Summary: How many proposals does Claude has to do to get that sweet "Yes" from long-time girlfriend, Byleth Eisner?
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 3
Kudos: 96





	Will you let me be the one?

**Author's Note:**

> Posting this before Valentine's bec I'm going to be busy.  
> And was feeling weirdly productive as heck so I made [this art here](https://www.instagram.com/p/B8gVeGph4wH/?igshid=1tedkqi1k2nii) for this as well

"Will you marry me, Miss Byleth Eisner?" Claude von Riegan asked one evening as he's down on one knee and offering up a small red box to her. Inside it is a white gold ring, with a round cut emerald gemstone inset.

He looked up at her with all the love he could muster, his heart beating fast inside his chest as he waited for her reply.

They had just finished dinner in one of the best suite room the Gloucester hotel could offer. He had conspired with Hilda and Lorenz to make this proposal go as smoothly as they can.

Lorenz had blocked off the area for them, free of charge, so that no unruly kid or anyone will break the romantic atmosphere inside the room by being noisy in the hallways.

He also offered to him the best wine in their inventory to go along with the dinner that is going to be served to them. With a twelve percent discount of course, since Claude still has to pay for the room and everything else.

The suite room offered a breathtaking view of the Leicester City skyline, the nightsky filled with stars and the waxing crescent gently shining upon them.

Hilda had helped out in decorating the room. Mainly with the rose petal trail, the candelights and fairy lights around the room. Even sponsored their outfit for the occassion: a three piece suit and Oxford shoes for Claude and a short off-shoulder dress with two-inched heeled Mary Janes.

And as a bonus, Hilda helped out with Byleth's hair and make-up. She opted for a waterfall braid to be suitable for the occassion, along with a natural make up look. She would have painted Byleth's nails but Byleth refused. 

For Claude, Hilda just told him to get a new lipgloss. Something not so shiny and obvious. And gifted him a limited edition perfume that Holst had developed recently.

They had planned for this for several weeks as he had chosen to propose on Valentine's Day (Hilda rolled her eyes at the cliché date but she let it pass), and Claude had already asked Jeralt's blessing without Byleth knowing.

Jeralt only raised an eyebrow at that, since the two of them have been dating for almost five and a half years after their chance meeting in a cafe. He had been waiting since their third year as a couple.

It took Claude a while to muster up the courage to put this proposal together. He had been thinking since the end of last year that she's really the person he wanted to spend his life with.

Their relationship isn't perfect, they get into fights that result to tears and potential break up. But they make it work, by apologizing to one another afterwards, since they care for each other than insist on who's right or who's wrong in a fight.

They have gone through a lot of ups and downs, especially the previous year where things went bad for Claude; his close confidant at work, Nader, got hospitalized due to mild stroke and couldn't work for some time. Many have tried to take advantage of his absence, to get Claude out of his seat in the Board of Directors, but Byleth helped him through all that decision making while Nader is away.

The liason with the Blaiddyds almost went up to flames when someone tried to sabotage it by giving defective products. Thankfully, Claude managed to find the culprit.

Claude also lost his grandfather to an illness that time, and he was barely keeping it together. And not long after, his Uncle and female cousin died in an accident, leaving Claude all of their shares in the company for him to be the new owner according to the will left behind.

Normally, one would be happy to have such inheritance but at what cost? He loved his grandfather, he has high respects for his Uncle and cousin, and he didn't want to inherit the Riegan conglomerate this way.

He cried, got drunk, and almost thought of running away when he's alone at home. It was such a shitty year, but Byleth was there for him. She offered him the support he needed to when he's at his lowest, even when he tried not to show it. She didn't force him to heal right away, and didn't let him run away from his problems.

She shut down those who accused her of being a gold digger, due to their social class difference. Claude doesn't know how she did it, but he's impressed all the same. Not many can unseat people who are sitting too high up in their horses with sharp words.

She held his hand through all of that.

A woman could handle only so much extra emotional problems and would have left him already after the first few problems. And Claude appreciated it that she stayed by his side, overcoming everything as a couple.

And that's when he knew that she's really the one he wanted to spend his life with forever. Because he knew he can safely let down his defensive walls around her. Be vulnerable, let someone in for once.

But in all honesty, he fell in love with her (and decided then and there) all over again when he saw her delight upon seeing the baby Dorothea and Ferdinand made, he also entertained the thought of having little ones with her.

Maybe three. Or five. Depends.

Byleth seems to be happy to be able to talk about such things with him. She even have plans already for their house decoration and room assignments.

She wants to have at least two babies. Claude hopes he can change that to at least three. He has the income (and inheritance) anyway to support a big family.

She wants a simple three-bedroom house near her dad's place since she doesn't want him to be by himself. Claude respected that wish, knowing that Jeralt raised her by himself after his wife died in a car accident. The bond between father and daughter may not be obvious to others, and only Claude could see that they really care for one another.

He had already purchased a five-bedroom house with an extension for a maid's quarters though, near her dad's place. Jeralt could live with them if he wants, he can have one of the rooms on the first floor.

Claude gulped nervously as he stared up at Byleth, who is still staring at him in silence and making him question himself if his voice cracked when he popped the question (not cool) or if didn't he say it out loud (idiot).

"Uhm... Byleth?" he tentatively asked.

A single tear rolled down her cheek and Claude's eyes widened in shock as she started crying.

He had heard tales of women crying out of joy when the love of their life propose to them.

But this.

This cry is different.

It's not tears of joy.

It's one of her sad crying.

He knows because she used to cry like this whenever they watch a sad movie with loyal dogs in it.

Or anything sad, really. But she's easily affected with anything sad that has dogs or cats in it.

What

What should he do now?

He did not expect this at all.

He was ready for her to cry and then he'll take her hand to put the ring on her finger. Then he'll pull her into a hug and make out on that large soft bed.

Think, Claude, think!

Why would she cry like this?

And how can he make her stop?

He stood up, panicking, as he searched his pockets for a handkerchief to wipe her tears away. He set the ring box down on the nearby table and pulled her into a hug, still wiping her tears.

"Hush now, my little By." he soothed her, rubbing her back with his hand in a comforting manner. "It's okay, calm down..."

Being in close proximity of him only made her cry harder, and she leaned onto his shoulder and clung to his suit.

Claude is at a loss why would she cry like this, and he only comforted her by rubbing his hand on her back and caressing her hair.

When her crying subsided into hiccups, he moved to sit down on the edge of the bed and pulled her to his lap.

He wiped her tear-stained cheeks and despite all that, Claude is impressed by the waterproof eyeliner and mascara Hilda used on Byleth. This is the prettiest cry he had ever seen.

He pressed a kiss onto her forehead when she hiccuped, holding onto his free hand and resting her head on his shoulder.

"What's wrong, By?" he asked her softly, rubbing her cheek with his thumb and trying to get her to look at him to no avail.

"Byleth..." he said again patiently as he shifted so he can get a good look at her.

She still avoided looking at him.

"Byleth, we've talked about this bad habit of yours..." he sighed. "Tell me what did I do to upset you instead of refusing to talk to me or look at me..."

She sniffed, trying to control her hiccups. "I...I seriously thought that...I seriously thought you were going to break up with me."

Her voiced cracked when she talked, her tears started to roll down again and her hiccups getting worse.

Claude stared at her.

Break up with her?

What?

Where did that ridiculous notion came from?

He's head over heels for her!

"Byleth...what..."

"You've been refusing to meet up with me for a month." she said through her tears and hiccups. "You don't call me like you use to. Not even a message of asking how my day went."

Claude sat there, speechless, as he wiped her tears again.

Well. The preparations took a month. Looking for a house near her childhood home was the hardest one.

"I messaged you!" he replied defensively.

Or at least he thought he did.

He'd been on the phone with real estate agents and with Lorenz and Hilda for a month.

"You only messaged me once, saying you're sorry that you're busy with work!"

"Well...I was..."

"You were busy before but you never failed to send updates. You suddenly became cold to me one day, it made me wonder what I did wrong." she hiccuped. "I couldn't even face my dad when he asked how we're doing..."

Claude scratched the back of his neck.

Yeah, he probably got to engrossed on planning out this proposal that he had forgotten to act natural.

He did notice she had stopped messaging him by the third week of his planning stage. He thought nothing of it and assumed she just got busy with her own work.

When he had sent Hilda to check on her, to get her all pampered up with a full body massage, facial, haircut, manicure and pedicure with foot spa before the big day, Hilda did report to him that Byleth seems withdrawn.

Yeah. Maybe his sudden "coldness" when he's usually affectionate made her think this way.

He really should not have fixated too much on making this perfect if the result is Byleth crying for a different reason.

"Does...doing all these, except for the part where I went down on my knee, look like I'm breaking up with you?" he asked her.

Surely upon seeing the rose petal trail and the romantic dinner, she would have guessed already.

"It looked like you were doing me one last date before ending things."

Oh.

He really did not expect any of this happening and he's not sure how to fix it.

Well. There's one way.

He hugged her tightly, squishing her. "Oh my sweet crybaby Byleth."

She hiccuped again, wrapping her arms around his waist and pouting.

It still surprises him that she cry easily. When he first met her, she seems to be this cool and no nonsense woman.

When he got to know her over the years, that wasn't really the case. She just happen to suffer the resting bitch face syndrome. Useful though, when dealing with people they both don't like.

And ever since they got together, Byleth has become expressive. It was hard for him for the first few months but he did see her smile the first time when he won a stuffed toy for her in a festival.

"I'd never do that. Ever." he told her as he pressed kisses onto her temple, still hugging her tightly. "Okay?"

She nodded and he laid back down on the bed with her in his arms.

Well, there goes the marriage proposal.

What a big fail.

  
"So, Claude, how did the proposal go?" Hilda asked a few days later as the three conspirators got together for coffee.

Hilda sat comfortably in her chair, wearing a white V-neck dress shirt that has flared sleeves, black pants and suede boots. She has a dainty mug (she brought the mug because it's her favorite, a gift from her sweet girlfriend) of coffee in front of her, as well as a crepe served like a pancake instead of being folded up with sweet fruits Hilda has requested.

Lorenz sat across Claude, rolling his sleeves up to his elbow and with his business coat hanging on the back of his chair. In front of him is a flat white coffee, with a simple crepe as well. He looks like a man who is relieved to get out of a problematic meeting, with the first two buttons of his dress shirt undone. He smoothed out the creases on his slacks before he crossed his legs, making a mental note to get a new pair of loafers because the ones he's wearing seems to be worn down (well, they are slightly looking like that).

Claude thanked the waitress who brought over his coffee, as he mimicked Lorenz on rolling his sleeves up to his elbow. Unlike Lorenz who had just gotten off an early morning meeting and have to dress in a business casual, Claude is wearing his favorite smart casual outfit: a white dress shirt, his navy blue blazer hanging at the back of his chair, gray cropped trousers and a pair of sneakers.

The three of them strikes quite a figure in their little corner of the cafe, where the busy employees of the building come and go with their to-go coffees. There's a few who are having a business meeting some tables away but it's none of their concern.

Claude grunted as response to her question, stirring his coffee idly. Hilda only stared at him in shock.

"What? No way..."

Claude reached inside his pocket, took out the ring box and placed it on the table in front of them.

"I don't understand why she said no." Lorenz frowned as he took the ring box and checked the content. "This is already the simplest ring you've ever commissioned from Ignatz. Do you want me to call him and bring out the other one?"

"I don't think it has anything to do with the ring." Hilda frowned.

"Should have been diamond then?" Lorenz looked at her as Claude took a sip of his coffee. 

"Lorenz, you really have no idea how relationships work, huh?"

Claude placed down his cup with a grimace. "Guys, please..."

"Sorry."

"Did she told you why though?" Lorenz asked him.

"She thought I was going to break up with her."

Hilda and Lorenz choked back their laughter at that. Claude glared at them.

"It's not funny."

"Oh, we know dear." Hilda replied. "But we did tell you that you ignoring her for this surprise is a bad idea."

Claude hung his head back in annoyance. "She didn't say 'No', she didn't say anything at all and now she's not talking to me. How did things ended up like this?"

"You know you can drop by her workplace?"

"Her manager's too strict. Won't even let me have lunch with her."

"Really? I didn't expect that from Manuela."

Lorenz frowned as he picked up his own coffee. "I could help in dealing with Manuela. If you're sure on making this time work."

Claude and Hilda looked at him, surprised. "What? You're going to ask Manuela out in a date?"

"I didn't know you were into older women."

"What? No. I'm merely going to talk to her about a prospective work together. Well, Claude?"

Claude weighed his chances, taking back the ring box from Lorenz.

It has been days since his failed proposal. They spent the night in the suite room, not talking to one another.

He slept on the floor with Byleth holding onto his hand from the bed, as his self punishment for making her think that way.

And after they parted ways the next morning, they haven't talked much. There's still the usual greetings of good mornings and good nights but other than that, there's silence.

But it's probably more because of Manuela holding onto Byleth's phone when they're working. Manuela had taken in Byleth to be a model some time ago and Byleth quickly rose to fame as that cool and mature model, who sometimes do cute ones as well.

He picked up his cup of coffee and downed the contents in one go, making Hilda stare at him in shock.

Anyone who downs a cup of coffee like that is a monster. Coffee's suppose to be enjoyed in every sip. Hilda would've told him off but the determined look on his face made her stop.

She knows when he has that expression.

He has nothing to lose and a bride-to-be to gain.

"Okay, Lorenz. Let's go." Claude told him as he pocketed the ringbox. Lorenz scowled as he drank his coffee in a much slower pace and eating his crepe. Claude patiently watched Lorenz as he put on his blazer.

Hilda looked at the two of them, setting down the fork and knife that has the crepe and some fruits on it. "Wait, you're going without a plan?"

"I have back up plans but I never thought I'd use one of them because they're too simple. It's better than nothing now, I suppose. Can you set up a reservation for me, Hilda?"

"I'm not your secretary, Claude."

"I know, but you know the daughter of the restaurant owner of the Edmund Restaurant. You know how hard it is to get seats there."

Hilda stared at him. "How did you know–" 

Claude winked at her. "I didn't mean to recognize the two of you out there together when you're trying to be inconspicuous. Hope you two enjoyed the parfaits I sent over."

Hilda stared at him. "You sent those parfaits to our table? I hate you. I thought it was my brother stalking me to see who I'm–" 

"I'll be counting on you, Hilda. Secure me a table and your brother won't find out until you open it up to him."

"Ah, Manuela. Still beautiful as ever." Lorenz greeted her as they exchanged cheek-on-cheek "kisses" as a form of greeting.

"Well now, Lorenz. This is a surprise. What brought you here all of a sudden?" Manuela asked him, crossing her arms.

"I just thought of dropping by and maybe talk about a future work together."

"Really? Coming here personally instead of sending someone?"

"Well, I was in the area and thought of popping in to share an enticing idea of work."

Lorenz looked over at Byleth who is doing poses for the camera wearing sophisticated clothes.

"I see that you got her a sponsorship from the Hresvelg company."

"Oh, it's nothing. They asked for a model that will fit their brand image and it's either Byleth or Dorothea. Dorothea is already booked too much with other works, and her baby. I had to squeeze this into Byleth's schedule. It's a rare opportunity after all."

Lorenz smiled charmingly at that. "Well, you'll have another rare opportunity on working with us. Can we talk about it over lunch?"

"Oh, of course. We're about to wrap up after all..."

"Ah, it's just for your ears alone, I'm afraid." Lorenz told her, still smiling charmingly at her. "Is that okay?"

Manuela pursed her lips, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Well...okay. Let's just wait for this to finish, if that's fine with you?"

Lorenz smiled at her. "I don't mind."

Not five minutes have passed and Lorenz's phone started vibrating in his pocket. He strained a smile as he stepped away and picked up the call.

"If you really want this to work, you should be more patient." Lorenz hissed into his phone.

"Oh, sorry. I just wanted to tell you that Hilda got me a reservation for a late lunch, around two." Claude told him. "How long are they going to be in there?"

"They're about to wrap up."

"Oh...aren't they finishing up early?"

"How should I know? I have to go before she realize I'm helping you."

"Huh? Hey, wait, Lorenz–"

Lorenz dropped the call and breathed in to calm his nerves. He returned to Manuela's side and saw that Byleth is done with her work, taking a sip of the juice handed to her.

"Oh? Done already? I wasn't even gone for long on the phone."

"Oh, hello Lorenz." Byleth greeted him, making Manuela stare at them.

"You two know each other?"

"He's a friend." Byleth shrugged. Manuela looked at the two of them carefully.

"This is the first time I've heard that you're friends with the higher circles."

"There's a lot you don't know, Manuela. I don't have to report every little thing in my private life, right? It's in the contract we agreed on."

"Well... Yes...but..."

"Don't worry, I'm careful of the image you had cultivated for me."

Byleth took her phone back from Manuela, waved her goodbye to them and moved to the dressing room to change into her regular clothes of plain white shirt, vintage elastic high waisted and pleated yellow pants with a simple ribbon she tied as her belt and a pair of sneakers that is the female counterpart design of Claude's.

Scrolling through her phone afterwards, she saw Claude had left at least three calls and two messages.

She was reading through one of the messages when Claude's call came through.

"Why are you calling like some frustrated clingy woman?" were the first words out of her mouth, making Claude sit in his car in stunned silence.

"Oh, hey. Didn't expect you'd actually pick up. Thought Manuela's going to yell at me." He told her. "Done with work?"

"Mm. You? Taking an early break from work?"

"Uh, no. I didn't go to work today..."

"I see..."

"Are you hungry? I reserved a table at Edmund's."

"Edmund's? How did you get a reservation in that busy place?"

"I pulled some strings, and thankfully landed me a reservation. So, how about it?"

"Sure, okay. Pick me up at front. See you."

Byleth ended the call, collected her things and looked at herself in the mirror one more time. Not satisfied with her looks, she fished around her bag for a hair tie and tied her hair up in a loose ponytail. She even re-applied her liptint and sprayed some cool and sweet scented perfume.

When she got out of the dressing room and walked towards the elevator, she saw Lorenz and Manuela leaving together. She slowed down, not wanting to join them. Manuela's going to insist of bringing Byleth along. Especially if she has a prior appointment with Claude.

Manuela has no complaints about their relationship, but Claude gets in the way of Byleth's work. He suspiciously always have her out of town whenever there's work for one of the businesses connected to the Riegans. Manuela doesn't understand why Claude would not want Byleth to work for the Riegans but that won't stop her on getting even with him by making Byleth cancel plans with him.

Claude waited at least fifteen minutes to roll up at front when he saw Byleth. Can't let her know he was in the parking lot ever since Lorenz came in, right?

He got out quickly and walked around to open the door for her, putting on her seatbelt. He got back to the driver's seat, strapped himself in and drove off, taking the more scenic route.

They talked of idle stuff, with Byleth ranting how stressful her sideline job compared to her main job in her dad's cafe. Claude listened to her, happy and relieved that things are still okay between them.

He also answered her little idle questions: how he was the past days, did he manage to get the business contract with the Daphnels, and how is his pet bearded dragon she loves so much.

He told her that he planned to get a Peruvian Guinea Pig and name it Lorenz for fun. Byleth only shook her head at that, and told him that she'll get a cat and name it after him.

"Really? A cat? I think I'm more of a loyal dog."

"No, you are definitely a cat. A Ragdoll cat to be precise. You look ordinary at first glance, but the more one look at you, the more mysterious and intriguing you are."

"Aw, stop that. You're making me blush."

"Really? All I see is a smug look on your face."

"Well, you always did find me charming. You couldn't take your eyes off me back then."

"If only you weren't driving, I would have squished your face to death."

"Ah, my handsome face saved by my driving. Thank goodness." he chortled, glancing at her.

She seems amused by it too, shaking her head and a big smile on her face.

Off to a good start then.

They arrived at Edmund's and had to wait for fifteen minutes since they arrived early. While waiting, Claude saw familiar faces in the crowd.

Two familiar faces.

His parents.

Why are they here? They're not suppose to be here yet.

They're suppose to arrive tomorrow.

And when the waiter finally showed the two of them their seats, Claude internally groaned when he saw it's right next to his parents.

Byleth hasn't met them yet, and Claude hopes that his parents will not start talking to them since he hasn't proposed to her (again). He doesn't want any awkward conversations about their marriage yet.

He now have to adjust his plans. He can't propose to her in front of his parents because they will surely tease him for being too cheesy.

Good thing he still has the ring and did not give it to the kitchen in advance to put it on a cake icing as decoration to be served to their table.

"My, what a lovely couple you two are." Claude's mother said, making Claude look at her warily.

"A lovely lady too. I hope my good-for-nothing son find a beautiful one like you." Claude's father added, grinning at his wife.

Claude grimaced at that as he held Byleth's chair for her, while being conscious of his parents' eyes at him.

Thankfully his parents didn't bother them after that, and they ate in silence but their presence made Claude a little too conscious of his own actions.

"Claude, are you okay?" Byleth finally asked him, concerned.

"Hm? Yes, of course. I'm great. Just enjoying the food."

"Really? You look constipated to me."

"Oh... Well...you know. Just thinking a few things..."

Byleth raised an eyebrow at that. "I'm all ears if you want to discuss it."

He glanced at his parents who seem to be intent on listening in to their conversation.

"Erm. Maybe later. Would you like to order dessert? I heard they have a delicious Hot Cocoa Souffle."

"I didn't know you were into sweets."

"Well, it won't hurt to know what interests you, right? Things are actually more interesting if we have more topics to bond over with."

His parents at the other table tried hard not to choke on their food and drink. Byleth only stared at him, a faint blush on her cheeks.

Five years and counting, and Claude still find ways to make her feel special. Not many those in a relationship who have a lot of differences in terms of taste, hobbies and interests, would go as far as know more about the stuff their partner likes.

Some would just accept it as part of their partner's endearing things, and those who never put any effort into knowing them sometimes end up getting annoyed by them which leads to a break up.

The same goes for a one-sided effort.

Claude and Byleth knows that their relationship will be needing a lot of work, understanding, cooperation and respect of boundaries from the get-go due to the status differences. Too much compromise will only result to an unhappy relationship but they found ways to overcome that.

And to show those who had wished or told them that they won't last after a few trivial problems that there's nothing that can break their foundation.

Afterwards, Claude immediately ushered her out, sparing his parents a glance.

They were both grinning at him.

He will talk to them later at their home. Or wherever hotel they are booked for this visit.

For now, he has to bring Byleth to the park and get his proposal done.

He can't believe he had resorted to his second back up plan. If only his parents weren't in the restaurant, and if he wasn't so conscious, then his proposal would have been over already.

They walked around, hand in hand, and enjoying the view. At one point, Byleth adopted a tiny, short-tailed white kitten with beautiful green eyes that came up to them during their walk.

It practically ran up to them and rubbed itself all over Byleth's ankle. She tried to leave it where its mother can find it but the kitten refuses, even clinging to her pants.

Meowing loudly as if telling Byleth, "How dare you leave me."

In the end, Byleth placed the kitty inside the pocket of Claude's blazer.

"Aw, you two look cute." Byleth chuckled.

"Why in my pocket?"

"I don't have a jacket to put the kitten in."

"You could hold it."

"And then you'll pout because I'm not holding your hand."

"I...well..."

She slid her hand back into his and they continued their walk. The kitten seem to be comfortable in Claude's pocket, that it started to doze off.

Claude got annoyed when he saw a couple at the ideal spot where he's suppose to propose to Byleth.

And the said couple has their own proposal going on as well. He doesn't want Byleth to think he's copying those two right after them.

Ugh, this is getting annoying. On to the third back up plan.

They left the park to get some kitten essentials and went home to his condo unit.

"I'll give the kitten a bath." Claude told her. "You can relax here with Da Vinci."

"You know how to give a kitten a bath?"

"I used to have a cat back at home. Don't worry. Oh, but first. Gimme kiss."

Byleth let out a laugh at that as she let the bearded dragon (that Claude affectionately named Lizanardo Da Vinci but Byleth prefers to call it Munchkin) out of its enclosure and stayed on her forearm.

"What are you, a kid? Needing some kind of mood booster?"

"Aw come on. We haven't seen each other for a few days. You haven't given me a kiss today yet. Gimme."

"Claude."

"Gimme."

Da Vinci stared at his owner, who's standing there holding the kitten in his hand. Da Vinci flicked out its tongue before turning away.

Byleth gave Claude a quick peck on the lips and Claude smiled sunnily, giggling like a little boy, at that before he disappeared into the bathroom.

Byleth meanwhile placed Da Vinci on her shoulder and went to the kitchen to look for some beardie snack.

There wasn't much in the fridge that is suitable and healthy for a beardie to eat.

All she got is a banana.

"Your dad really likes to put you on a diet huh?" she babytalked the beardie as she settled down on the couch, taking him off her shoulder and placed him on her lap.

"I'm going to tell your dad that you like raspberries." she told him as she fed him the banana after she peeled it, occasionally stroking his head. "Or do you like apples? Pears? Watermelon? You're probably sick of banana."

The bearded dragon only munched on the banana, and afterwards the two of them got cozy on the couch, watching videos on her phone.

Da Vinci then started dozing off and Byleth is starting to feel drowsy as well.

She was about to fall asleep when she saw a little furball running out towards her. She carefully picked Da Vinci off her and placed him on the couch before turning to the kitten.

The fur's more fluffier now, and Claude already placed a ribbon collar around its neck.

She picked it up and saw a ring hanging off its collar along with a small rolled note.

"Will you marry my daddy?" is written on the note.

Amused, she looked up to see Claude leaning on the wall and his arms crossed, watching her from the hallway.

"I see. So the whole day, you've been wanting to ask this question again." she told him as she untied the ring from the ribbon and setting the kitten down her lap.

The kitten, noticing the bearded dragon, jumped off her lap to sniff curiously at the reptile.

Da Vinci doesn't seem to mind the inquisitiveness.

Claude held up his hand defensively. "I didn't get any response back then..."

She held the ring inbetween her fingers, as Claude walked over to sit down next to her. He took the ring and her left hand, looking at her gently.

"Well?"

"I don't remember you being the kitten's dad. We just got him a few hours ago."

"The kitten's a girl. And I originally wanted to use Da Vinci but you got him playing with you so I had to improvise."

Byleth pursed her lips, trying to control her smile as Claude waited for her to answer his proposal.

Seeing the slight apprehension on Claude's face, she chuckled and reached for her bag. Her action confused Claude as he stared at her.

She pulled out a small box and faced him.

He raised an eyebrow upon seeing a smile on her lips.

She presented the box to him, opening it. He stared at her when he saw her mother's ring sitting inside the box.

"Byleth, I'm the one doing the proposing." He pouted.

"Doesn't mean we can't propose to one another." she chuckled. "You deserve nothing but the best, someone who will walk alongside you to back you up without limits, let you grow without borders hindering you, and love you without end. Will you let me be the one?"

Claude turned crimson at her earnest words, almost dropping the engagement ring he's holding. Byleth smiled widely at that.

Seeing a flustered Claude is worth it.

Claude then covered his face out of embarrassment, trying to regain some composure to turn this around.

She's suppose to be the one flustered and the one crying with happiness, not him.

He took deep breaths, then uncovered his face to look at her in the eyes with determination.

"Yes, of course. I'd love to. But I want you to hear what I have to say as well."

He took her hand again and slid the ring onto her finger.

"I've been thinking of our future a lot recently, and I've always entertained the thought of the two us as trees growing side by side, our roots growing together over the years." He started, holding her hands in his, occasionally rubbing his thumb over her fingers.

"Our children growing from the seeds that falls off from our branches. I've never really thought of settling down until I met you and got to know you. You held my heart, and my hands, like no one else did.

"Our past was quite a ride and memorable, and so I want to ask you: will you join your future with mine to create and spend a wonderful life together?"

A big, abashed smile blossomed on Byleth's lips as her ears turned red at his sincerity.

She likes this proposal better than his first attempt.

The first one was too generic, too insincere and she knows Claude is a man who'd rather say what he feels than say whatever is on his mind directly.

She took her mother's ring out of the box and slid it onto his finger, kissing it sweetly.

"Yes."

Claude smiled at that happily, pulling her in for a quick kiss. Then he looked over at the kitten and Da Vinci.

"Hey kids, behave yourselves and don't break anything. Mommy and Daddy will be...busy for a few hours. So, behave and play nice."

Byleth whacked him lightly at his implied meaning, but Claude wasn't kidding. He pulled her up and brought her to his bedroom, locking it just in case.


End file.
